Welcome back to the blog after a long summer hiatus!  I'm ready to be back to my old habit of writing, and I'm excited to announce a new project!

Let me start by telling you how the Lord has been working in my heart recently...

I have always felt like posts about any global crisis on social media were a nuisance. Any post that asked me to "do something" about the latest trendy problem only motivated me to scroll further down the news feed.

To me, social media was meant for mindless surfing, and posts about the desperate needs of faraway people were not mindless material.  Those posts demand to be read with your mind & your heart.  I wasn't willing to give them that kind of energy.

My attitude was selfish.

This past week, Humans of New York shared the stories of refugees who fled to Greece. When you take the time to listen with your heart, it is impossible to be unmoved by these stories of trauma & survival.  If you haven't read these posts yet, please read them here!

Most refugees have no hope of ever returning to their homes.  Many have lost loved ones during the crossing to Europe. They have arrived in a foreign land with no possessions and no resources.

I tried to grasp the refugees' stories while enjoying a cup of french press coffee in my air-conditioned apartment. A queen-sized bed & a fridge full of food were easily accessible to me. Everyone whom I love was only a phone call away.

I have been blessed with tremendous resources.

I can allow comfort to numb me from considering the needs of brokenhearted, or I can use my resources to alleviate their suffering.

I may only be able to make a small contribution towards a massive crisis, but it is a better option than living in comfortable, selfish ignorance. Here is my small contribution:

• This week, I became a Noonday Ambassador!  This amazing organization is creating jobs for artisans all over the world by opening up the marketplace in America.  Every Noonday purchase helps alleviate poverty in 13 different countries by providing stable income for families just like yours.  For the month of October, 10% of all purchases made using this link will help send blankets to refugees in Europe.

• On October 11th, a friend and I will host a blanket-making party. We will make fleece tie blankets to send to Europe for refugees. We are also accepting donations towards the cost of materials & shipping.  If you would like to be involved, please let me know in a comment on this post!

I am so thankful for your support as I begin my journey as a Noonday Ambassador and as we try to bring a little hope to the refugee's in Europe!

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As I left the Pregnancy Help Center, I noticed two men in bright orange jumpsuits crouched next to my car.  They were inmates—convicted criminals—and they were standing exactly where I needed to go.  Thankfully, I knew that they hadn't escaped from prison, and the prison guard was only 10 feet away.

Each week, I volunteer at the Pregnancy Help Center as an Options Consultant.  The inmates help with landscaping needs at the Center under a guard's supervision.  I had seen them at the Center several times, but I had never spoken to any of them.

My gut reaction was to go back inside, but I was already running 5 minutes late.  So, I cautiously approached my car.  

The guard was yelling at them, "It's going to the back!  Charlie, get it!  There's one by the front tire!  You—walk over to the front tire!"

The inmates scrambled around the car as if they were doing a Chinese fire drill.  Eventually, the guard noticed that I was waiting a safe distance away from the commotion, watching the inmates crawl around my parking space.

He apologized to me and told me that they were trying to rescue 5 baby bunnies from the parking lot.  Apparently, the bunnies thought that the bottom of my tires would be a safe hiding place.

So there I was... 

Bent over on the asphalt with a bunch of convicted criminals, and I realized that these scary-looking, orange-wearing men were genuinely concerned with the welfare of a few furry rabbits.  We laughed together and worked as a team to relocate each bunny.  I didn't expect to feel a brotherly bond with the men by the end of the ordeal.  Then again, we did save 5 lives together.

I was humbled by the experience.  

I had expected the worst from these men.  I expected foul language, inappropriate looks, and all sorts of unpleasantness as I approach them from my high horse.  When I dismounted from that prideful place and got on my knees in the humble dirt, I experienced something beautiful.  

Later that night, I read Job 31:15 through new eyes.  It reads, "Did not the One who made me in the womb also make them?  Did not the same God form us both in the womb?"

Clearly, those men have made poor choices.  They are serving time behind bars as the consequence for their actions. 

Yet, who am I to judge them?  The same Holy Hands that made me in my mother's womb uniquely and masterfully created each of them.  The Creator loves each of them as much as He loves me.

On this Good Friday, I remember that Christ died for ALL people.  His sacrifice atones for ALL sin.  There is no sin larger than Christ's love.  Christ's open arms, stretching from one side of the cross to the other, can redeem anything.  Let me say that again—ANYTHING.  He extends judgment-free salvation to everyone who calls upon His name, regardless of past mistakes, secret struggles, even future transgressions. 

I am learning to view everyone as a child of God—including the criminal, the unrepentant, and the hard-to-love.  Christ died for people such as these.  He offers a second and a third and a seventy-times-seventh chance after each of our failures, even with full knowledge that we will fail again.  Certainly, I can withhold judgment and unleash love on the people that Christ died to save. 

So, let's honor Christ's  sacrifice on this Good Friday by imitating his judgment-free love towards ALL people.

God didn't shine light ON our darkness.  
His light isn't a beacon of distant hope.
It isn't a spotlight of judgment, revealing our crime.  
 
Instead, God made light shine OUT of our darkness.
His Light carried hope into the depths of sin's pit.  
His Light redeemed our failure by renewing it for His glory.
 
And then, God made His Light to shine IN our hearts!
His Light liberates and invigorates the fully surrendered.
His Light revives the dead. Binds the broken. Refurbishes the rusty.

Maybe, your eyes are accustomed to the dark.
The Light demands redemption of whatever you would hide or hold onto in the darkness.
Lay it aside, so that you can run the better race set before you.  
The race with a finish line in eternal peace. Hebrews 12:1-2

Maybe, you've accepted the Light, but you're still keeping it hidden in your heart.
Commit to His commission.  Shine His Light to the ends of the Earth.
“You are the light of the world...let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father..." Matthew 5:13-16

We have a God who wasn't content to leave us in the darkness.
In the light of each day, we should respond with thanksgiving to His eye-opening, faithful grace!
"Proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."
1 Peter 2:9

David wasn't ashamed to praise God in public.  When David witnessed God's goodness, he didn't hide it deep in his heart; He publicly glorified the Lord for His good works.

Too often, I hide praise in my heart.
I hide His light under a bushel, when I should let this little light of mine shine.

If I stopped storing praise in my heart and started releasing it in words of worship, 
my relationship with the Lord would become more REAL. 


Sometimes, my pride prevents me from praising God.  I put myself in His place, and fail to acknowledge His glory.  Public praise helps me to give credit to whom it is rightly deserved. 


I need to ask myself these questions: Am I focusing on God or focusing on myself?  Am I thankful for His gifts or do I ignore His provision?  Am I aware of how much He loves me? 

He is constantly pursuing me with His love, and I should constantly respond with grateful praise.

My praise to the Lord shouldn't be an occasional thought-- it should permeate my life!  
Public adoration shows that thankful love for the Lord is my reality, not just my religion.  

Do I really see God as the source of overflowing, unshakable joy in my life?  
Do I believe that all good gifts come from the Father?  
Am I thankful that He faithfully offers forgiveness when I am unfaithful and undeserving of grace? 

If so, it shouldn't be possible to contain His glory within the confines of my heart.  Following David's example of unrestrained praise, my words of worship should flow unashamedly like a joyful linguistic dance before the Lord. 

If I stopped storing praise in my heart and started releasing it in words of worship, my relationships with my peers would become more MISSIONAL.

When I have an opportunity to share God's praise, I may fear personal rejection.  I may fear that I will look like a fanatic--that people won't "get it" when my words give credit to an unseen God.  

I have been so guilty of this!  I remember feeling uneasy about bold words of praise at a particular gathering.  The group consisted of both believing and not-yet-believing friends.  One of my sisters in Christ praised God's goodness with every single sentence that she spoke!  My gut reaction...'Doesn't she know that they aren't Christians?  Does she realize that this isn't a time of Christian fellowship?'  Almost as soon as those thoughts entered my brain--wow!—was I convicted of my cowardice!  She was so boldly honest!  She didn't hesitate to show her genuine self--a grateful daughter who lived completely dependent on her Heavenly Father.  And our friends got the chance to hear God's name glorified!  They witnessed a beautiful act of worship without setting one foot into a church.

My public praise can be used powerfully to direct others to God.
Praise identifies my not-so-secret source of peace, hope, joy, and every blessing under the sun.
I just need the boldness to speak it.

When I allow my withheld thoughts of praise to mature into verbalized sentences, rather than stunting their growth by hiding them in my heart, my words participate in the Holy Spirit's work.  Only the Holy Spirit can lift the veil of sin's darkness and shine truth's light into a deceived mind. I may never know how God will use public praise to work in someone's life.  But if the words are never spoken, they certainly can't do any good

Recently, my husband and I went backpacking together at Caprock Canyons State Park.  With gear strapped to our backs and our dog in tow, we set out to hike a 7-mile trail.  On the map, we could see that the path led up the very steep Haynes Ridge and turned steeply back down into the canyon.  Otherwise, it was mostly straight-and-narrow hiking.

The ascent and descent of the ridge were labeled 'very challenging' by park standards.  We are NOT experienced hikers, but we figured that we would at least try to get to the top of the ridge.  If we couldn't make it, we would just blame it on the dog! 

The trail is a series of switchbacks (zigzags) that cut up the side of the cliff face.  The terrain is loose rocks and dirt with the occasional boulder and drop-off.  Meanwhile, each of us has about 30 pounds strapped to our backs, significantly changing our centers of gravity.  It is the PERFECT combo for falling on your face, if you happen to misstep.  Did I mention that there are cacti and thorn bushes along both sides of the trail?  Welcome to hiking in the Wild West.

This seems like the ideal time to confess that I have an irrational fear of stairs.  More like a phobia that I will someday fall down a staircase to certain agonizing death.  Each time that I look at stairs, all that I can see are the jagged, sharp edges of each step.  I imagine feeling a total loss of control as gravity's momentum pulls me into a never-ending fall.  Kind of a weird phobia, but can you sympathize with my terror?

While I can be fearful, I can also be very stubborn.  I like to prove that I can do hard things.  I was fully committed to reaching the top of the ridge upon my first step up that trail.  As we climbed higher and higher from the safety of flat ground, I had the conscious determination to suppress my growing fear of falling.

While my husband was able to stop and look back at our progress, I had to keep moving forward, forgetting the steep terrain below and behind me.

I was encouraged by Philippians 3:13-14:   "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

I had to forget what was behind me to keeping move forward towards my goal.

Even a quick glance back could have paralyzed me.  The thought of falling made me want to sit down and be still.  If I didn't move, then I couldn't possibly fall.  That is no way to climb a mountain!

Instead of giving into the urge to cling to solid ground, I focused on my goal.  I fixed my eyes upon the path and put one foot in front of the other.  With each step, my goal was simply to get further up the ridge.  I knew that I would be able to enjoy the view from the top—I just had to get there.

Let me tell you—the view from the top was beautiful!  I could see how far I had come from the safety of flat ground.  I could see beyond the trail.  I could see that the trail had led me to a place of beauty and freedom.  I was stronger and more confident than I had been on the flat ground.

Often, our trails seem hazardous.  We wonder why God has led us along life-paths littered with fear... pain... rejection... distractions. 

All the while, He is calling for us to fix our eyes upon Him! 

Do not look to the right or to the left.  Do not set your gaze on the loose footing, surrounding thorn bushes, and steep cliffs below you.  Do not fix your focus on the anxiety-producing risks, discouraging naysayers, and whispered lies of your enemy.  Press on toward the goal to which God has called you!

How often do you fail to take hold of what is ahead, because you are focused on the hazards?  Where are you allowing the fear of falling to paralyze you from climbing higher towards your goal?

I'll leave you with a few holy encouragements:

Isaiah 30:21 // "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'"

Hebrews 12:12-13 // "Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.  'Make level paths for your feet,' so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed." 

Joshua 1:7 // "Be strong and very courageous.  Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go."

When life's busyness hurries us through our days, it's easy to fail to love others through tangible actions.  We may think of ways to reach out—a word of encouragement, a gift, or an invitation—but we almost never have a convenient opportunity to do it, so we don't follow-through on our thoughts.  As much as we wish that "it's the thought that counts" were true, we need to stop rationalizing our failure to act in love and start doing it!  

Here are 3 thoughts on loving others:

Loving others requires intentional and decisive action.  

Start to translate your kind thoughts into actions before a deluge of distractions knocks them into the back of your mind and the bottom of your to-do list.  If necessary, evaluate your priorities throughout your day.  There may never be a convenient opportunity to show love, so preemptively choose to make heartfelt actions a priority over the pressure to hurry through life.  Commit Hebrews 3:13 to your mind and recall it when you are tempted to hurry past the chance to love: "But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception".

Loving others requires sight.  

Throughout the gospels, Christ demonstrated the incredible ability to see individual's needs despite the distractions of the crowd.  Through the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), Jesus taught us to respond to needs with love, rather than passing by our neighbor in a self-focused hurry.  Pray that the Lord will open your eyes to the opportunities to love others.

Loving others requires boldness.  

If you feel the Lord leading you to serve or encourage someone, don't think your way out of it.  Don't second-guess whether it is a good idea.  Don't make assumptions to excuse yourself from taking action.  Do whatever the Spirit is prompting you to do with boldness.  If you fail to act on the Holy Spirit's prompting, you may miss an encounter in which God wanted to use you.

Self Disclosure:  There are many moments that I do not feel motivated to love others! My self-centered focus tempts me to disobey God's will and choose to follow my selfish desires over my inclinations to love others.  I was recently convicted of my selfish attitude through two trips to two major cities.  I was quick to hurry past the homeless, despite the desire to acknowledge them in some small way.  I let rationalization, ignorance, and fear prevent me from loving those people. I can't even count how many opportunities that I may have missed to do some small act of encouragement on those two trips!  Thank God that His mercy is new every morning, and I can try to love better today!

This week, let's love with action!  

Who is that one person God is telling you to love?  (If you're already trying to rationalize a way out, that's a clear sign that you need to take decisive action!) 

What act of kindness or service can you do to show love to them?  Don't put it off!